


After Some Time

by areyoufr



Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Light-Hearted, Post-Break Up, basically they meet up in those "exes see each other again" yt videos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:06:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22240786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/areyoufr/pseuds/areyoufr
Summary: If you were to ask Ruby Gillis one question, what would it be and why?
Relationships: Ruby Gillis/Moody Spurgeon McPherson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	After Some Time

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first AWAE fic, so pardon the characterization (and the fact that I am not sure with how these sets work lol)

The set building is... intimidating, per se. It creates a large juxtaposition between its own height and Ruby Gillis' confidence level: small. When she was assisted inside, it isn't any different, either. They reach the floor they are supposed to be and she sees staff roaming around, and finally, a large space with a yellow background and a table with a chair on both ends. 

It is simple. 

_Yeah, right._ Simple enough to make her feel nerve-wracking. 

The staff directs her to where she can leave her stuff, and they told her to wait for some time. Her thoughts never drifted away though, since she can feel her phone vibrate from her front pocket. All of them were messages from the girls' groupchat and even private ones from Anne. 

This is Tillie: _wHY ARE U THERE?! I THOUGHT YOU SAID NO GIRLS KR BOYS OR CURSHES_

Then Jane, _you better not be going back to that route. where are u anyway?_

_I got this invite to guest on a vid about reuniting with my ex????,_ Ruby types on her phone. _Josie told me there'd be money out of it, so I said yes_

Once she was satisfied with the message, she sends it to the groupchat. Anne replies immediately, _sO THAT'S WHY YOU WERE GONE FOR YOUR OWN BIRTHDAY PARTY WITHOUT OUR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE?_

_Sorry, wrong capital and lowercase placements. But the point is_

_You. Are. GONE. For. Your. OWN. Birthday. Party._   
  


She texts back, _I'm sorry. I'll make this fast. I told josie about this already tho :-(_

_You did. She apologized for not saying it sooner. Good luck there, anyway! Come here soon!_

_I will!!!_

Then Tillie texts her, _TELL US DEETS AFTER_

_I WILL,_ she replies.   
  


Two weeks ago, Ruby Gillis quit from her babysitting job at a daycare to focus on her university studies. Working part-time steered her focus into too many directions, and barely gave her enough time to regain the hold on the wheel _again._ She barely had time for herself — Diana even found it impressive that she hadn't thought of boys and girls and crushes for the past two years. 

Well, only since she and Moody Spurgeon broke up. But that's another story. 

Ruby had to admit it was her own fault for missing out on the party. But then again, she _is_ a broke college student, whose previous sidejobs never seemed to be enough for pay — that's why she needs this. And even if her awkward encounter with her ex-boyfriend is offered to the whole world to watch, it's not like she minds. After all — Ruby Gillis is an open book. Displaying vulnerabilities like they're accessories doesn't mean they _are_ vulnerabilities. After all, if they're not weak, why would you hide it? 

(That's just Anne Effect kicking in. Ruby Gillis isn't like this.) 

"Ms. Gillis, are you ready for the shoot?" One of the producers interrupt her train of thought. "Um, are you sure you wouldn't like to know which 'ex' of yours is invited?"

"Oh, I don't have too many. It won't be surprising." 

"Alright. Well, basics first: please keep your phone on silent mode or hide it somewhere. Then, we want you to know that there's a hidden microphone on the table. Also, standby. When we ask you to head to the set, please go."

"Um, okay."

The black monitor at her right displays the time left before filming. Less than 3 minutes. Suddenly, she feels like her hair down is horrible; like her dress seems stupid, with its orange-brown color seemingly too Earth-y and too hideous. Suddenly, her blue wristwatch doesn't match with her white sneakers. For goodness' sake! She could've bought more presentable clothes. She _could've_ just tied her hair up or cut it short. But _no,_ here she is, standing all nervous and jittery. _Heck,_ who were the people she had a crush on? And confessed to? 

Gilbert Blythe is one. Heroism and romantic eyes and all. There's this small bouts of attraction to anyone else next, like when a stoic-faced Jane Andrews suddenly smiles or when Anne Shirley-Cuthbert talks so passionately with big words. Or when Charlie Sloane had that quiet, awkward thing going on. Or when Moody Spurgeon played his banjo. 

It's difficult to be flirty. These are the cons, right? 

The black monitor displays four seconds. Then with a wave of a hand, Ruby steps in to the scene and sits on the nearest chair. Oh _wow,_ it's bright in here. The lights are focused on her, giving the impression that everything else around is dark. 

Nobody gives her directions, or anything after that. She just. . . _sits_ there. 

Then a figure emerges from the 'shadows,' and well — 

"Hey, Moody!" She greets with a shy cheerfulness.

"Hi." He greets with a sheepish smile. "I tripped on the wire on my way here." 

"You okay?" 

Nothing too surprising, right? She had a few exes and all of them had crossed Ruby's imaginations for around a million times. But _not_ Moody Spurgeon looking like he had glowed-up _again._ It is nice to see him this way, though, with unkempt hair and sweaters and all. 

However, Ruby dives deeper than what's on the surface. She feels nostalgic with the easygoing, clumsy vibe he's giving right now — only leveled up and matured, or something.

She suddenly notices a screen behind him and figures out it was like an outline or script. It says, _ASK ABOUT HOW EACH OTHER._

"How are you?"

"For the past years? I'm fine." Moody taps his fingers on the table. "Um... I feel like I have to disclose private stuff in here. Er, I never asked for that! Wait. Um, what if there's a potential stalking viewer?" He looks confused. "Okay you know what, never mind." He shakes his head, leans forward, and smiles. "I'm... happy." 

"It's nice that you're happy."

"Thanks, Rubes." 

"You said a lot of stuff back there." 

Moody leans back. "I know, right? I wish I had something cool going on but I really got nothing. I'm just happy and content. What about you?"

"I don't know, um... Independent, I guess?"

The way Moody's eyebrow raised and his dimple briefly showed for a smirk did _not_ go unnoticed to Ruby. 

Touchy topic.

"Yeah. . ." Ruby hates _not_ missing the signs. "You know, ignorance is bliss. It's really, really _bliss._ " It is bliss if she didn't see those details. 

"Cool, topic change. Did you remember something?"

"Yes," she answers firmly. "I think I know what you're thinking." _The reason for the break-up._

He almost laughs. "I hope it's accurate now." 

"I was _actually_ talking about the present." 

The screen behind him changes: _WHAT ARE YOU BOTH TALKING ABOUT?_

"The screen's asking us what we're talking about," she points out. Moody looks back to check it. 

"Oh goodness, you're right."

"Should we give context?"

"Yeah," he nods at her, "we probably should." 

She checks again. ". . .The screen says no."

"We're so horrible at this," he admits. 

She squeals. "I know, right? I don't know what to say without giving it away because it's such an awkward topic!" 

Moody smiles, but he doesn't reply. He has _that_ smile on — the one that he rarely uses; it didn't reach his eyes and it meant he's serious. It makes Ruby feel awkward, so she dims her post-squeal smile in a way that doesn't make her _look_ defeated. 

"Did you know how I got here? Like, why I agreed to this?" 

"Obviously not," she replies innocently. 

"My friend told me this: If you were to ask Ruby Gillis one question, what would it be?"

The words feel like church bells ringing endlessly. Like an entrance to a place where you know you have to adjust to. 

"I want to ask you something, Ruby," he says slowly. "And I hope you'll tell me the truth." 

"Right now?" 

"Yeah." 

"Really?"

_Stupid Ruby, you're on this set and the cameras are rolling. OBVIOUSLY, right now._

"Yes, Ruby," he says patiently, then looks at the camera. He points his thumb towards her direction. "When she's really nervous she forgets what's happening in the present." 

"You can't blame me, you're doing all this!" 

"Yes, Rubes, sorry." 

"It's fine. Go ask." 

"I'm not, um, I'm not looking down on you or anything, okay? And I hope you guys don't look down on her as well for. . . um. Look. You're the romantic type; you're in love with," he makes jazz hands, " _love,_ and that kind of means you have a crush on everyone instantly. And, small context," he says to the camera, "we kind of got close when I played the banjo for a dance." 

"True. . ."

He looks at her dead in the eye. "When you start to like someone, is it because of that _thing_ they did, or is it because you actually like them?" 

Here's that mindset _again_.

"Just because I get attracted and I like people so easily doesn't mean I'm shallow, Moody," she says slowly. "I thought you know that?"

"You told me before."

"Right." She sighs. "Here's the thing. When you like someone, when they _get_ your attention through something that's _unique_ , you try to show your appreciation for _that_ one thing because you think it's what they love. And when you like someone, you give them your attention. I'm not shallow for being interested in people — I can look at you in every way and the only thing that'll stuck in my head are your good points, because I don't judge you for how clumsy you are or. . . something. When you played your banjo, I was amazed because—" she screams a little, "because you seemed so passionate in your own world I thought that asking you to write songs next time and stuff would interest you, because... you like music, so... it's like an another level.

"And when I told you stuff like, _hey I could be your wife,_ um, I'm sorry, if I'm like pressuring you into the future, but that's not what I intended."

"'S fine, I didn't think that—" 

"— _maybe_ , I wanted you to feel that I love you enough to stay with you forever." 

He hesitates for a bit. "You'd say that you want to be anyone's wife even when that person isn't looking."

"I was a kid; give me a break."

He seems frustrated, but he's half-chuckling. "I don't get your point, Ruby." 

Should she even explain anymore? What should she say?

"I just loved you, okay? Not because of your banjo skills, but because you reciprocated love to me; and with all the emotional things I share, I was hoping to get it back. But you're not so bad yourself." She shrugs. "Everyone is not so bad themselves." 

Silence.

"That's impossible. You have Tillie, Jane—"

"They see me as a friend, I can read that!"

"Like how you can read Gilbert's eyes full of... _romance_ when he looks at you?" 

"Like how I can read your insecurity of being with a flirt like me when I clearly show how much I'm devoted to you!" 

The way Moody's breathing hastened and his dimple showed briefly for a smile never went unnoticed to Ruby. 

"Did I answer your question?" 

He nods. 

"Good."

"I'm sorry."

"You broke up with me because of that, right?"

"Yeah. I'm really sorry." 

Ruby looks back, a little on to the right side, to check the black monitor. It now displays how much time they have left to film. Few more minutes. 

"Do you want a break, Ms. Gillis?" The same producer from earlier asks. "Mr. Spu— _sorry,_ Moody?" 

"I would love to," she answers, getting up from her chair. 

The juxtaposition between Ruby Gillis and the place drastically changed, now.


End file.
